Employer asking me for a "fit note" from doctor. Only been off for 2 half days.

[JoeyJoeC]

My employer is telling me I need to go to see the doctor (I agree due to stress related migraines).

 

He is also saying I need to show them a note to say I am fit for work, as in his own words (in email), he doesn't feel I am fit to work.

 

1. Do doctors even issue a fit to work note after a couple of half day absences?

2. If my employer is telling me he thinks I am unfit to work, should I be going to work? (He thinks I should )

3. Can my employer force me to present a fit to work note from my doctor?

 

 

Thanks

[honeybee13]

My employer is telling me I need to go to see the doctor (I agree due to stress related migraines).

 

He is also saying I need to show them a note to say I am fit for work, as in his own words (in email), he doesn't feel I am fit to work.

 

1. Do doctors even issue a fit to work note after a couple of half day absences?

2. If my employer is telling me he thinks I am unfit to work, should I be going to work? (He thinks I should )

3. Can my employer force me to present a fit to work note from my doctor?

 

 

Thanks

 

Hello Joey. Is your query connected with this thread please? It helps the advisers if they know the background.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?459673-I-think-my-employer-is-trying-to-get-rid-of-me

 

HB

[JoeyJoeC]

Yes it is, but I didn't want to get this issue mixed up with those other issues. I do feel this is a separate issue. Please don't merge!

[BazzaS]

My employer is telling me I need to go to see the doctor (I agree due to stress related migraines).

 

He is also saying I need to show them a note to say I am fit for work, as in his own words (in email), he doesn't feel I am fit to work.

 

1. Do doctors even issue a fit to work note after a couple of half day absences?

2. If my employer is telling me he thinks I am unfit to work, should I be going to work? (He thinks I should )

3. Can my employer force me to present a fit to work note from my doctor?

 

 

Thanks

 

It seems strange that they are both saying "you need a fit note" and "I think you aren't fit for work but should come to work" (what exactly did they say?)

 

Does your employer supply access to an occupational health provider?

[JoeyJoeC]

No, I don't even get a pension.

 

They are telling me that they don't think I am fit for work, yet accuse me of "trying to get out of work" when I asked them if that means I am not allowed to go to the office.

 

And they are now also telling me they need a note to say I am fit to work in order to continue working? I have been at work since my 2 half day's off with migraines.

 

These are from my manager, he changed his tone between emails, I think the owner may have told him he cant refuse me to see a doctor.

 

ME:

I will need to go in to show them ID and proof of address etc so they should be able to register me the same day. What day would be best to leave an hour or so early so I can register?

 

THEM:

Not sure why you need to leave an hour early? Most GP surgeries operate a late closing time at least once a week. As you're aware there aren’t enough of us this week to cover the phone and emails.

 

It would be great if you could work with us on this one.

 

ME:

I wanted to get things sorted asap since I had another migraine last night.

 

I will try to get there in time before closing tonight, and hopefully I can get an appointment on Wednesday when they close at 8PM. As you should know this isn’t always possible.

 

THEM:

Thank you for your effort. Your health is our prime concern, I do hope that you can resolve your migraine issue as soon as possible.

 

Please feel free to attend the doctors as and when you feel it is necessary. If the matter is a medical urgency, we would not ask you to wait until a late appointment is available. However, as we are only requesting a document, we are happy for you to make arrangements for it with your GP in your leisure.

 

ME:

Thanks.

 

Can you just confirm the document that is required is a “Fit to work” note from the doctor?

 

THEM:

That’s correct.

 

These emails are from Monday until this evening. I do have this email from the owner on the 10th of this month:

As discussed last Friday, we are concern about your health and your wellbeing.

 

This is not the first time you have these kind of problems and it is very important for everybody that you do everything you need to control this.

 

Because of the nature of the work we do you are in a position where you need to go to clients and also spend periods of time by yourself in the office. And at the moment I do not feel you are fit for this.

 

As agreed on Friday I need you to obtain a Fit note from your doctor where it clearly states you have explained the problems you have been having and proper tests have been carried to ensure your condition is under control.

 

We will accommodate any time off you may need to do this but please give us as much warning as possible so we can arrange cover.

 

The "condition" is migraines. I have been to the doctor before and got medication for it, but it is not stopping the cause which I think is stress. I am changing doctors as the doctor I had is terrible.

[unclebulgaria67]

No, I don't even get a pension.

 

They are telling me that they don't think I am fit for work, yet accuse me of "trying to get out of work" when I asked them if that means I am not allowed to go to the office.

 

And they are now also telling me they need a note to say I am fit to work in order to continue working? I have been at work since my 2 half day's off with migraines.

 

These are from my manager, he changed his tone between emails, I think the owner may have told him he cant refuse me to see a doctor.

 

ME:

 

 

THEM:

 

 

ME:

 

 

THEM:

 

 

ME:

 

 

THEM:

 

 

These emails are from Monday until this evening. I do have this email from the owner on the 10th of this month:

 

 

The "condition" is migraines. I have been to the doctor before and got medication for it, but it is not stopping the cause which I think is stress. I am changing doctors as the doctor I had is terrible.

 

If you need to see a GP, it will probably take at least a week. They might be willing to do a telephone appointment, where you can discuss your symptons. They might ask you to see a nurse to have a few checks on blood pressure, blood sample. Also they might suggest you see an optician if you have not had a test in the last 12 months. As for a fit to work, when you have only had 2 half days absence, i can't see them doing this. A fit note is normally when you have suffered a prolonged issue, not a migraine which can occur at any time.

 

I once had migraine issues, but now notice symptons before they happen, so can take action. Normally sitting down in a quiet area for half an hour and having plenty of water and a sandwich helps, plus an aspirin. When i get them badly, my eyesight goes funny, my head really hurts and i go totally numb down one side of the body. My head then hurts for several days, before it goes away.

[ericsbrother]

Agree to what the manager says and say that it will take time, only appointment is at the most inconvenient time etc so suggest they pay an OH doctor to have a look at you at some convenient hour like 7pm at a suitable location. You will appear to be open and reasonable but in reality they wont want to spend good money beoing told the bleedin obvious so will probably quietly let the matter drop.

I believe you are off elsewhere soon so dont give them an excuse to make things bad for you in the meanwhile.

[JoeyJoeC]

Thanks ericsbrother and unclebulgaria.

 

I do notice the symptoms of them, eye sight becomes limited with the aurora, then it's only a matter of about 30 minutes when the sickness then followed by headaches that are unbearable. I get them on work stress days, and my work are making me stressed intentionally I believe.

 

I went to the doctor on Wednesday (yesterday) and they told me they were too busy to register me and told me to come back in a morning some time. I told them my situation and they said they can try Thursday evening however I am unable to get there before it closes. I am moving doctors as the other one is far away where I used to live, and the only doctor that is available is terrible (always tells you there is nothing wrong with you, even told my sister her two sons didn't have anything wrong with them when they were bleeding for weeks at a time, turned out they have Hemophilia A which is very serious. The doctor didn't take my migraines seriously. I want to get signed off for stress now, as I can predict when I get the migraines, usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

 

I will suggest them to pay for a private doctor to assess me if they refuse me to have time off.

[honeybee13]

Joey, forgive me if I've remembered this wrong, but did you have a job offer recently?

 

HB

[JoeyJoeC]

Joey, forgive me if I've remembered this wrong, but did you have a job offer recently?

 

HB

 

Yes, I was offered another job before Christmas, but turned it down as I was told I would be put on training and better money in my current job.

 

I recently contacted them again, and spoke on the phone etc with my contact who said they would still take me on. He is waiting for his business partner to come back from Brazil before confirming.

[think about it]

From the GP perspective it's probably not a great time to change GP's.

 

Yes, the registration can be done at any time and it's normally a simple a4 sheet which will then initiate the transfer of your records. You're then likely to have a delay of anything up to 4 weeks for the records at your current practice to be sent back to the local patient records office befoe being forwarded on to your new GP who will then have another 6 weeks in which to summarise them onto their clinical system.

 

As such, most GP surgeries - mine included - offer an initial appointment with a nurse / health care assistant to do some basic data capture. However, until your records are recieved we know nothing about our newly registered patients. So, in response to the earlier suggestion of a telephone consultation I'm sorry, I don't see how a GP could certify your fitness to work/not work without having met and examined you first and, for a long standing issue, had sight of your records.

 

I can't help but feel that your current GP would be able to offer what need far more quickly.